1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active energy ray-curing abrasion-resistant coating composition which is cured by irradiation with active energy rays, and which forms a film having excellent adhesion to a plastic base material, transparency, abrasion resistance and antistatic properties. The present invention also relates to an active energy ray-curing abrasion-resistant coating composition which forms a film when a solvent dries off, which permits processing such as molding, printing and transfer before irradiation with active energy rays, and which forms a film having excellent abrasion resistance and antistatic properties.
2. Discussion of the Background
Plastic articles, for example, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, triacetyl cellulose, vinyl chloride resins, ABS resins, etc., are generally used for various applications because of their light weight, excellent processability and impact resistance. However, since the surfaces of such plastic articles are easily scratched because of their low surface hardness thereof, and since transparent resins such as polycarbonate and the like have the drawback that the intrinsic transparency or appearance possessed by the resins significantly deteriorate, these plastic articles have difficulties being used in fields which require abrasion resistance. There is thus demand for an active energy ray-curing hard coating material which imparts abrasion resistance to the surfaces of these plastic articles. However, a cured layer comprising a general active energy ray-curing hard coating material has the drawback that static electricity is easily generated due to the high value of surface resistivity. This charging of static electricity promotes the adhesion of dust and causes deterioration in these attaractive appearance and transparency of the articles. In order to avoid such drawbacks, there is demand for an active energy ray-curing resin which imparts abrasion resistance and antistatic properties to the surfaces of these plastic articles.
In addition, when the surfaces of these plastic articles are subjected to hard coating treatment, printing and molding may be performed before curing by active energy rays. Alternatively, a hard coating material may be coated on another substrate, and if required, after processing such as printing, forming of an adhesive layer, the hard coating layer may be then transferred to the surface of the desired plastic article. There is thus demand for an active energy ray-curing resin which can form a film at the time a solvent dries off and which has excellent abrasion resistance and antistatic properties by irradiation with active energy rays.
It has been proposed to use as the active energy-ray curing resin having abrasion resistance, antistatic properties and transparency, for example, a mixture of at least bifunctional (meth)acrylate and an active energy-ray curing resin having antistatic properties such as polyethyleneoxide-containing (meth)acrylate (Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-14859), quaternary ammonium salt-containing (meth)acrylate (Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-22952), phosphate-type (meth)acrylate, ethanolamine compound (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-86847) or the like. However, since the active energy ray-curing resins having antistatic properties comprise mono- or bi-functional (meth)acrylate, the mixture causes the problem of deteriorating abrasion resistance which is the initial purpose of the resin.